The Mandalorian Bride
by Starnova1122
Summary: Sabine Wren is a Mandalorian living on a small farm on Lothal. When the farmboy, and love of her life, is presumed dead, Prince Valador claims her as his bride. But when she is kidnapped by the dreadful Moralo Eval and his lackeys, they are pursued by a mysterious, Man In Black. But who is he? And can he save Sabine in time? (Star Wars Rebels set in The Princess Bride!)
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars, Star Wars Rebels or The Princess Bride, nor any characters, place names, or content that appears in this story. This story is a fan fiction and does not necessarily comply with the actual Star Wars timeline. Rated T for romance, violence, and content that may disturb.**

 **Warning: this story is a parody of The Princess Bride, and under no circumstances should it change or devalue, the actual book, movie, or other licensed product.**

On an old moisture farm on the outskirts of Lothal, there lived a girl of outstanding beauty.

Her name was Sabine Wren, and she was a Mandalorian, living on Lothal. She had no family, and lived a simple life.

On the farm where she lived, there was a young farmboy. Nothing gave Sabine more pleasure than to order the boy around. His name was Ezra Bridger, but Sabine never called him that.

"Farmboy," she would say in her commanding tone. "Polish my speeder. I expect to see my face shining in it when I get back."

"As you wish."

' _As you wish'_. It was all he ever said to her.

"Farmboy, tend to the Moisture Vaporators while I am gone."

And whatever the boy was doing, he would simply put it down, and say,

"As you wish."

And so it went on for years. But one day, Sabine was shocked to find that when he said, 'as you wish', what he really meant was, 'I love you'. And Sabine was also shocked to find that she loved him too.

Ezra had no money for marriage, so he packed his few belongings, and left to seek his fortune offworld.

It was a very emotional time for Sabine.

"I fear," she told him tearfully on the day of his departure. "That I will never see you again."

And Ezra smiled down at her, and said back,

"This is true love. You can't stop that."

And he kissed her. She hugged him one last time, and he boarded the waiting transport. As it took off, Sabine waved, sad in seeing him go, but happy in that the next time she saw him, they could truly be together.

Ezra never made it to his destination. His ship was attacked by the Dread Pirate Hondo, who never left captors alive. When Sabine got the news the Ezra had been killed, she went into her room and locked the door. For three days, she neither slept nor ate. She mourned him.

"I will never love again." She whispered to herself.

Five years later:

Everyone had gathered in the town square for the announcement of Prince Valador's new bride-to-be. The news had travelled fast through Capital City, as the handsome man walked out onto the balcony to address the people.

"In three weeks time," he called to the waiting crowd. "On this town's anniversary, I shall marry a woman who was once, a commoner, such as yourselves. But now, you will not find her common, anymore. May I introduce, Princess, Sabine!"

The trumpets blew in some unknown corner of the square, as the door to the government building opened, and out walked, the Mandalorian, looking positively breathtaking in a dress of the finest material. Everyone knelt at her presence, until the only one who did not look happy, was Sabine herself.

For although tradition gave the prince the right to choose his bride, she did not love him. And despite the princes many assurances that she would grow to love him, the only time she felt any joy was in her daily speeder ride. One day, while she was in the rocky gorge several miles out from the city, she came across three of the most unusual people she had ever seen.

One was a short and stocky male Phindian, with half of his face covered in a black tattoo. The second was a tall and intimidating male Trandoshan, and the third, a strong-looking and athletic Corellian, his hands behind his back, fingering a long and thin sword. The male Phindian approached Sabine.

"My dear lady. We are but poor, lost circus performers. I am Moralo Eval. These are my counterparts, Bossk-" he indicated the Trandoshan, who puffed his chest out in an obvious attempt to look more intimidating. "-and Inigo Montoya." He indicated the Corellian, who made no signs other than to gesture his head slightly.

The Phindian continued.

"Is there, a town, nearby?"

Sabine considered for a moment.

"There is nothing around, for miles." She finally answered truthfully.

"Good," said the Phindian, as Bossk took several steps closer. "Then there will be no one to hear you scream."

And before Sabine could muster the slightest bit of resistance, the Trandoshan grabbed the back of her neck. Her waiting scream failed into nothing as he pinched her nerve. Her eyes closed and she slumped forward immediately.


	2. The Asteroid Field

When Sabine woke up, she was being carried gruffly by Bossk. Inigo walked slowly beside her. Without a word, the two boarded an old Corellian V-710 Freighter. Moralo Eval still stood by the girls speeder. He ripped something off of an old uniform, and tied it to the speeder. He then set it to autopilot, and it drove off into the trees. He watched it go, and then boarded the freighter with the others.

"What was that you put on the speeder, boss?" Questioned Inigo, as soon as Moralo walked back onto the ship.

"Fabric," he answered shortly. "From a Nabooian Security Uniform. When that speeder reaches her home town, everyone will think it's the work of the Naboo. When they find her body, dead on the Nabooian planet, their suspicions will be confirmed. Lothal and Naboo will have no choice but to go to war."

Bossk frowned. Inigo spoke up.

"I just don't think it's right, killing an innocent girl."

Moralo took several steps closer to Inigo.

"Am I very much mistaken, or did the word, 'think', escape your lips?" He snarled, trying to sound and look threatening. This was difficult, as even at his tallest, Eval barely came level with Inigo's chin waist.

"You were not hired to think! You were hired for your steel! And you will help up to start a war, or I can very much send you back to where you came from! Unemployed, on NAL HUTTA!"

Inigo fell silent. Bossk sat down beside him, when the freighter started up, and, with a great roar, they took off into space.

Days past, as they flew towards Naboo. It was one particular night, when they had had to exit hyperspace to navigate a dense asteroid field, when it all changed.

Inigo had been silent for some time now, just staring out of the viewport at the back of the freighter, wearing a confused expression. Finally, he spoke.

"Are you _sure_ no one's following us?"

"That would be utterly inconceivable." Replied a smirking Moralo Eval.

"You know you will soon be dead." Said Sabine.

She had not spoken since that day in the forest.

"Prince Valador's will find you, and when he does, you will all be hung!"

Moralo just smiled, and took several steps towards her.

"Of all the necks on this ship, your highness, the one you should be worrying about is your own. -and will you STOP DOING THAT?!" He called to Inigo, who once again, had taken to staring out of the viewport.

Inigo repeated his question.

"Are you _quite sure_ no one's following us?"

"I told you, it would be totally, utterly, and in all other ways, inconceivable! No one from Naboo knows what we've done, and no one from Lothal could have reached us in time!"

He settled back into the couch, but almost immediately raised his head again.

"Out of curiosity, why do you ask?"

"Oh, no reason," muttered the Corellian. "I just happened to look out the window and see someone following us."

Moralo immediately scrambled for the viewport. Shoving Inigo out of the way, his mouth fell open.

An old but seemingly sturdy freighter was following them through the asteroids. It's guns blasted them out of the way, and the freighter seemed to be gaining.

"Probably just some local miner, out for a shift! At night… Miles from civilisation… Without a drill…"

His voice was interrupted by the loud _PSSSH_ , as one of the escape pods was suddenly jettisoned into space. The others ran to the comm system, but as they hailed the pod, Sabine's face appeared on the screen.

Bossk snarled, Inigo tensed, but Moralo smiled.

"You won't get far, highness. Not with the-"

But his words were drowned out in a loud and unnatural scream. Sabine froze. She quickly sat in the pilot's chair, and steered the pod to a stop.

"Do you know what that sound is, highness? Those are the Asteroid Dwellers! They roam asteroid fields, and eat anything mechanical! Especially escape pods, for instance!" Moralo Eval snarled evilly.

And there it was. Worming its way around the asteroids, the size of the freighter and the length of a small town, it had a grotesque face, with small, yellow eyes and insect-like armour plating on its body. Sabine screamed. It was getting closer and closer with every second, and it seemed like there would be no escape for her…

…

…

…

…

But then, out of nowhere, lasers pummelled the beast. It gave one more horrible scream, and disappeared through the asteroids. Sabine looked around for her rescuer, but her heart sank when she saw the old freighter of Moralo Eval. It docked, and as soon as the door opened, Bossk leapt into the pod and slapped a pair of magnacuffs on the young girl. As they returned to the bridge, Moralo watched as the ship slowly dipped into a gravitational pull.

They had reached Naboo.

Inigo glanced instinctively out of the rear viewport when he entered. The freighter was now so close, he could read the name stamped on the outside.

 _The Ghost._

"He's right on top of us!" Inigo called to his companions.

"Well, whoever he is, he's too late!" Called Moralo back. "We've reached our destination!"

The freighter slipped through weirdly coloured clouds, and all of a sudden, was hurtling through a misty swamp. But this water was an acid-green, and smoke seemed to be rising from the points where it touched the land.

We're here!" Called Moralo. "The SWAMPS OF ACID!"


	3. The Test of Steel

The ship touched down amid streams of acid, on the biggest of the large mud land-masses. There, Bossk exited the freighter first, his blaster raised and poised to fire. Next came Inigo, and finally Moralo Eval. He dragged Sabine with him.

Now, it may be necessary to point out that, in her regular form, Sabine could have overwhelmed all three of them and escaped. But, since the death of her love five years ago, her fighting ability had been sapped by grief.

The four boarded a hoverscooter, and zoomed off into the distance. As they did, Inigo looked behind him. The Ghost had landed, and out of it, came a mysterious young man.

It was hard to tell, but it looked like he he was coated entirely in black. He appeared to have a rushed conversation with the pilot, who looked, (again get from a distance,) like a Togruta-

no, not Togruta… A Twi-Lek. The Man in Black boarded a hoverscooter, and sped off in pursuit of the kidnappers.

When the hoverspeeder carrying the Phindian, the Trandoshan, the Corellian, and the Mandalorian, touched down on a large land mass, they all leapt off. Inigo pointed behind them, where the Man in Black was gaining in another hoverscooter.

"Boss! We were followed!"

"Shoot him!" Yelled Moralo, and Bossk pulled out his rifle.

Sabine looked away.

 _CRACK._

The loud gunshot rent the quiet, and there was a large explosion as the scooter disintegrated. Moralo Eval raced to the edge of the land to see.

He was stunned. The Man in Black was standing on one of the smaller land masses. What's more, with a jump, he began to pursue them.

"He didn't die?! Inconceivable!"

Moralo rubbed his hands together, deep in thought.

"Right. Bossk, carry the girl. Inigo, stay here, catch up with us when he's dead. If he drowns, fine. If not, the sword."

"I'll have to use my short. If I use my actual, over to quickly." Inigo answered.

"Oh, have it your way, just KILL HIM!"

Moralo, Bossk, and the young Mandalorian girl sprinted off into the darkness behind Inigo. He looked over the swamps, and called out,

"Hello there!"

The man raised his head to look at Inigo, but did not speak.

"Slow going?"

"Look, I don't mean to be rude, but this is not as easy as it looks." Called the man, struggling to climb a thick tree root.

Inigo turned, and began practising his sword fighting movements. He tried three short swipes, and then moved back to the edge.

The Man in Black had barely made any progress.

"I do not suppose you could speed things up?"

"You know, if you're in such a hurry, you could send over a hoverscooter or a ship or find something useful to do."

Inigo glanced at the hoverscooter next to him.

"You are right. I could send over my hoverscooter. But I do not think you would accept my help, since I am only waiting around to kill you."

"That would tend to put a damper on our relationship." Said the man, stumbling slightly on an old vine.

"But," said Inigo. "I promise not to kill you until you reach land."

"That is very tempting, but I'm afraid you'll just have to wait." Answered the man, now struggling over a large skeleton of something that had once had about three hundred and twenty-six legs.

 _"I hate waiting."_ Muttered Inigo to himself. He turned, and tried to concentrate on practising.

After a few minutes however, he abandoned the attempt, and called over to the Man in Black.

"I could give you my word as a Corellian!"

"No good!" Muttered the man, almost losing his balance and falling into the acid. "I've met too many Corellians in my life."

Inigo fell silent, and when he spoke again, it was so quiet, the Man in Black strained to hear him.

"I swear upon the soul of my father, Domingo Montoya. You will reach land alive."

The man seemed to contemplate him for several seconds. Until he finally spoke.

"Send over the speeder."

When the man reached land, he hopped off his speeder, and was about to draw his sword, when Inigo stopped him.

"No, please. Wait until you're ready."

The man nodded his thanks, and sat down on a rock. Inigo watched him intently.

"I don't mean to pry," he said cautiously, "but you wouldn't happen to have six fingers on your right hand, would you?"

The man looked at him very intently, and it was only now that Inigo realised exactly what he was wearing.

A full-body black jumpsuit, possibly Lothalian-made, and a large black mask that covered most of his face. Only his eyes were visible. Finally, he spoke.

"Do you always begin conversations this way?"

Inigo shook his head slightly, and spoke.

"My father was slaughtered by a six-fingered man." He said harshly.

The Man in Black did not speak, but simply raised his hand.

Four fingers, and a thumb. Inigo sighed in disappointment.

"My father was a master swordsmith. When a six-fingered man arrived, and requested a special sword, my father took the job.

It took him a long time. But then, when it was done, the six-fingered man returned and demanded it, but at one-tenth the promised price. My father refused. Without a word, the six-fingered man slashed him through the heart."

The Man in Black nodded, and interrupted.

"How old were you?"

"I was eleven. I loved my father. So, naturally, I challenged his murderer to a duel. I failed. But the six-fingered man let me live. After he gave me these," he finished, indicating a scar on his left cheek, and another on his right.

"But this time," he continued. "I will not fail. I will go up to the six-fingered man, and I will say,

'Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.'"

The Man in Black nodded, and said,

"I hope you find him someday. I am ready now." He stood up.

Inigo drew his sword.

"You seem an honest fellow," he said. "I'd hate to kill you."

"You seem an honest fellow," the Man in Black said. "I'd hate to die."

He too drew a sword, a long and lethal one.

"Then," he said," we begin."

Inigo tensed. Both men seemed to stand, as if waiting for the other to make a move.

 _Ting._

 _Ting._

 _Ting._

Three sword slashes, directed by Inigo, were quickly deflected by his anonymous companion. But now, the battle began.

Both men lunged, and in seconds, the whole area was filled with the sounds of battle. Inigo tried to figure out his enemy's fighting style, but it seemed entirely random. One second he would make short, quick slashes at him, the next he would force Inigo into a defensive. All Inigo knew was that he was facing an opponent the likes of whom he hadn't seen in all his life.

It was the Man in Black who drew the first blood.

He twisted and twirled, and suddenly caught Inigo's blade with his own, and then ducked under the steel and slashed quickly at his chest. It wasn't a killing blow, just drew some blood, that stained the man's clothing.

But he didn't stop there.

The Man in Black suddenly leapt out of combat, up onto a giant tree root. He then slashed at a vine, catching half of it, and threw himself towards the acid. Inigo watched in amazement.

The vine caught the Man in Black just before he hit the acid, but the end of the vine trailed into the green corrosive, sending drops of it everywhere, so that Inigo was forced to hold up his sword to protect his face. The Man in Black landed in front of him, and he exclaimed,

"Who are you?"

"No one of importance."

"I must know."

"Get used to disappointment. And speaking of which, you now have no sword."

Inigo looked down at his sword. It was burned in the places where the acid had touched it. Large holes had appeared in the blade. He smiled.

"Your right. This sword is ruined."

"Then why are you laughing?"

"Because, you fell right into my trap! This is not my actual sword!"

And with that, he wrenched another sword out of its scabbard. This one was bigger, and sharper, with several jewels burnt onto the blade. And this sword suited Inigo better, who now began to push the Man in Black back to the edge of the land, where their blades locked in a deadly contest of strength. But Inigo had the advance ground, and forced the Man in Black's hand downward.

There was a loud _hissss_.

Inigo retreated, the six-fingered sword in hand, as the Man in Black stood up.

His sword hilt was all that remained, the other part burned in the acid. But as Inigo steadied for another attack, the Man in Black smiled.

"you have lost your sword," Inigo said curiously.

"Yes."

"Then why are you smiling?"

"Because, you fell right into my trap! This is not my actual sword!"

And he pulled, out of its scabbard, a long, thin, and ornate sword, that seemed to glow blue even in the light of the day. And carved on the blade, in a language Inigo recognised, But didn't fully understand, was writing.

"What is that language?" Questioned Inigo.

"Mandalorian." The Man in Black answered shortly.

Inigo was so wrong-footed by his enemy's reply he almost missed the first slash. But that was quickly followed by a second, until the area was once again alive with battle.

But this time was different. Inigo was being pushed back and back, until finally, he went for a feint, deciding that that would be the best move.

The Man in Black sidestepped it immediately.

What's more, as he did, he twirled his blade in a circle motion.

The six-fingered sword went flying out of Inigo's hand.

Inigo looked surprised for a moment, and then sunk to his knees in defeat.

"Kill me quickly." He said, eyes closed.

The man in black walked around behind him, sword still drawn.

"I would rather destroy a planet than an artist such as yourself. However, since I can't have you following me…"

He gave Inigo a rather hard tap on the skull with the hilt of his sword.

Instantly, the man's eyes slid out of focus, and he slumped, face-down, into the mud. The Man in Black replaced his sword, grabbed the hoverscooter, and sped off in the pursuit of the now, only two fugitives, and his prize.


	4. The Test of Strength

Moralo steadied himself as he peered over the boulder on which he stood, and looked through his microbinoculars. He watched the Man in Black sprinting up the path towards him, sword in hand.

"He defeated Inigo? Inconceivable!" He exclaimed to no one in particular. Bossk approached him.

"What's the plan now, boss?"

"Right," said Moralo, suddenly business-like. "You, stay here, kill him, and then catch up with us on the Theed frontier."

"Right," oozed Bossk, rubbing his scaly hands together. "My turn. Wait, how should I kill him?"

Moralo sighed exasperatingly.

"Hide behind that boulder. As soon as he comes in view, SHOOT HIM!"

"Oh, great," said Bossk, and as soon as Moralo was out of earshot, "that's not very sportsman-like."

The tall and handsome man danced back and forth on the muddy ground, tracing the footprints exactly. He flourished his hand as he did so, as if brandishing an invisable sword. His brown dreadlocks flew around his perfect face, as he studied a vine that looked as though it had been cut, and a sword that had several strange holes in it. Around him, stormtroopers marched up and down, looking for their quarry, studying burn marks from ship landings, their footprints mingling with those if the duellers, until the Prince Valador was forced to give up his examination.

A man in an ISB uniform approached him. His face seemed set in an expression of grim determination, his blue eyes narrowed as though he was permanently revolted by everything he saw.

Prince Valador spoke without waiting.

"There was a big fight here. A freighter, possibly Corellian, landed… Four people… No… Three people dragging a fourth sped off to here. A minute later, a smaller freighter landed… One person got off… One of the kidnappers waited here for him. They had a fight…"

"Who won?" Questioned the ISB agent. "How did it end?"

"The loser…" Valador muttered slowly, "took off back in that old freighter. The winner took a hoverspeeder, further in… That direction," he concluded, pointing in the direction of Theed.

"Shall I have them both tracked?" Asked the ISB agent.

"The loser is nothing," muttered Valador. "The winner is everything. These people obviously kidnapped the princess, and they were heading for Theed. If the Nabooians have indeed kidnapped her, it will be war." He jumped up onto his hoverscooter, and, along with the others, sped off, in the same direction the Man in Black had headed in hours before.

The Man in Black poked his head around the rock. There was no other life-form in sight. He took two steps forward, his eyes alert, his ears tense and steady.

 _CRACK_.

The Man in Black jumped, and drew his sword, as a pulsating red bolt of light came sailing over his head, hitting the boulder behind him. A Trandoshan stepped out onto the path in front of him.

"I meant to do that. I believe in fighting for sport." He said, still holding his blaster.

"I believe you." The Man in Black answered. "So what now?"

"We face each other as the great Lord Rangtok intended. In the field of hand-to-hand combat."

"So you mean," the Man in Black said, "I'll put down my sword, and you'll put down your blaster, and we'll fight barehanded?"

The Trandoshan nodded, and threw his blaster away. The Man in Black sank his sword into the ground.

"To be honest, I think the odds are slightly in your favour." Said the Man in Black.

He charged.

The smaller man cannoned into the Trandoshan, and in seconds, the area was a rampaging battleground.

The Man in Black's attack had wrong-footed Bossk, and sent him off balance. The man was on him immediately, and coiled both hands around the Trandoshan's neck. He, in retaliation, raised both feet and promptly kicked the young man off of him. He went sailing through the air, landing with a hard CRUNCH on a boulder.

Pain wracked his body, but he fought to stay on his feet. He leapt off, and saddled himself securely on Bossk's back. His arms found the neck, and he slowly began to choke the mercenary.

Bossk flailed around, crashing into rocks and waving his arms wildly as he tried to get off of him, the young man clinging to his neck, all the while becoming more and more flushed as he choked and spluttered. Heaving deep breaths, he sank to his knees. The Man in Black held on tighter. Bossk took one last breath, tried a last-ditch attempt to pry his fingers loose, before he slumped, face-first, into the ground. One last breath, and he lay still.

The Man in Black relaxed his grip almost immediately. He leapt up, and placed his ear to the Trandoshan's chest.

Slow, heavy breathing. He was still alive.

"Someone who would rather fight honourably than win easily does not deserve death. But for now, sleep. Dream of The Hunt.

And with that, the Man in Black stood up, and wrenched his sword out of the ground. After kicking the Trandoshan's blaster over the hill, to ensure he would not be a threat if he followed him, the young man ran up the path, where, he hoped, the last remaining mercenary stood waiting.

With Sabine.


	5. The Test of Wits

Prince Valador knelt, observing the patterns and footprints in the dusty ground.

"So the man has beaten a Trandoshan? You lot! Follow me!" He called. Immediately, five stormtroopers and an ISB agent ran to his side. Without addressing either, the prince and his companions sped off up the trail, following a lone set of footprints.

Further up the path, at the very top of the path, the Man in Black had just emerged between the boulders.

Moralo Eval sat a little way on, at a small table. Two goblets, a jar of wine, and several chunks of food sat on the table, and at his side, blindfolded and with a blade pressed to her throat, was Sabine herself.

The Man in Black swallowed, and began to walk, very slowly, towards the pair.

"And so it comes down to this," Moralo oozed. "Just you and me."

The Man in Black took several more steps towards the table. Moralo's smirk disappeared.

"Take one more step and she dies!" He exclaimed, pushing the blade up against the girl's neck, drawing a sharp intake of breath from the Mandalorian.

The Man in Black continued to walk, but this time, he spoke.

"I think we have a misunderstanding-" He began.

"Oh, no misunderstanding." Interrupted Moralo. "You're trying to kidnap, what I've rightfully stolen!"

The Man in Black raised his hands, as if talking to a deranged killer, which, he kind of, was.

"Then, perhaps, an arrangement can be met?"

"No arrangement and YOU'RE KILLING HER." Moralo growled threateningly, pressing the blade so close to Sabine's neck, small beads of blood appeared on the knife.

The Man in Black stopped walking abruptly. Silence descended for several seconds.

"So, if there can be no arrangement, we are at an interpass."

"It would seem so!" Moralo sneered. "I'm no match for you physically, and you're no match for my brains!"

"You're that smart?" The Man in a Black said, tilting his head slightly.

"Put it this way," Moralo said. "Ever heard of Khador? Darth Sidious? Yoda?"

The Man in Black nodded slightly.

"Morons." Said Moralo shortly. The Man in Black smirked beneath his mask.

"In that case, I challenge you to a Battle of Wits." The Man in Black said.

"For the princess?"

Nod.

"To the DEATH?"

Another nod.

"Accepted."

Moralo replaced the knife in it scabbard, as the Man in Black smiled.

"Good! Pour the wine!" He called, and sat down opposite Moralo as he did so. Once the bottle was once again stationary on the table, the Man in Black pulled out of the folds of his robe, a small tube. He twisted the top off, revealing a very fine white powder. He extended it to Moralo.

"Inhale this, but do not touch." Warned the Man in Black. Moralo sniffed.

"I don't smell anything." He demanded.

"What you do not smell," the Man in Black said, with a slight sneer, "is Extarionide. It's odourless, tasteless, dissolves instantly in water and is one of the most deadly poisons known in the galaxy."

The Man in Black took both goblets, and hid them behind his back, out of Moralo's sight. Moralo heard a slight hiss as the Man in Black tipped the Extarionide into one of the cups. He then placed both goblets back on the table.

"Now, which goblet is the poison in? You pick and then we both drink. The Battle of Wits has begun."

Moralo Eval frowned for a while, staring at the goblets. Finally, he spoke.

"Well this is easy! You wear a mask, which means you must be a criminal, seeing as you hide your identity, and a criminal, would never drink anything put in front of him, so I can clearly not choose the wine in front of me! But, you must have known that I would have guessed that, so you would have put it in your own goblet to trick me, so I can clearly not choose the wine in front of you!"

"So you've decided then?" Asked the Man in Black.

"Not remotely!" Exclaimed the Phindian. "Extarionide is a poison only gathered on Korriban, and Korriban, as everyone knows, was once populated by the Sith, and a Sith, would never put the poison in their opponents glass, in case they refused, so I can clearly not choose the wine in front of you! But, you must have known I would know the powders origins, and put the poison in my cup to trick me! So I can clearly not choose the wine, in front of me!"

"Oh you're good." The Man in Black complimented.

"Wait 'till I get going!" Yelled the Phindian. "You've beaten my Trandoshan, so you must be incredibly strong, so you could've put the poison in your own goblet, counting on your strength to save you, so I can clearly not choose the wine in front of you! But, you've also beaten my Corellian, which means you must have studied, and in doing so, discovered that your species is mortal, and put the poison as far away from you as possible, so I can CLEARLY not choose the wine, in front of me!"

He was red in the face now, but seemed to have stopped talking momentarily to catch his breath.

"You're trying to trick me into giving something away." It was a statement, not a question, that the Man in Black said. "Has it worked?" Moralo smiled.

"It has worked! You've given everything away! And I choose- DRAGONSNAKE!"

He pointed frantically over his companion's shoulder, and as the Man in Black turned quickly, Moralo reached over, and switched the goblets.

"I don't see anything." The Man in Black demanded.

"Well, you missed it. Anyway, I've chosen. We drink, you from your glass, and me from mine.

They both put the cups to their lips, and, at once, drained half its contents together. As they set the goblets back down onto the tables, the Man in Black smiled.

"You lose." He said.

"You'd think so! I switched the goblets! You've fallen victim to one of life's tactical blunders the most common of which, is, incidentally, never start a land war on Sullust, but otherwise, never go up against a Phindian, when DEATH IS ON THE LINE! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA, AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAH-" but his laughter was suddenly cut short. His eyes bulged, and without the grin changing, he simply slumped over, and died.

Moralo Eval was dead.

The Man in Black stood up, and pulled Sabine to her feet.

"So all that time," she said, "the poison was in your own cup."

"The poison was in both cups," the Man in Black said. "My species has a blood resistance to poison in such doses. Now, come on, I think I was followed up here."

And taking the princess roughly by the hand, he led her off, towards the towering mountains in the distance.


	6. Unmasked

"Here. Rest, princess. We have a long way ahead of us."

They had stopped on a narrow outlook, overlooking a rocky gorge. Sabine immediately sank, weak-kneed, onto a rock, but continued to stare at her saviour, a look of hatred on her face.

"We won't get far. Prince Valador is the best hunter on Lothal. He could track a Dorafly through a hailstorm, he can find you."

"You think your true love will save you?" Asked the Man in Black, sounding amused.

"I never said he was my true love!" Exclaimed Sabine, standing up.

"You admit you do not love him." He said, still sounding vaguely amused, as though pointing out faults in a mildly interesting HoloTv program.

Sabine stood up, and for the first time in five years, a shadow of rage flashed behind her beautiful eyes.

"I have loved more deeply than a killer such as yourself can ever imagine!" She exclaimed, but stopped short and winced as the Man in Black raised an arm as if to slap her.

"That was a warning highness. The next time a man's hand flies upon his shoulder where I come from there are penalties when a woman lies." He said very quickly.

And grabbing Sabine by the hand, he roughly led her away.

They came to another rocky outlook, and the Man in Black threw Sabine onto one of the flat rocks before simply lying down, leaning against a tree root. This time, however, Sabine would not be silenced.

"I know who you are!" She called, rage filling every syllable. "You are the Dread Pirate Hondo, admit it!"

To her surprise, he neither denied it, nor yelled at her.

"With pride!" He said, mock bowing. "What can I do for you?"

"You," fumed Sabine, seething with rage, "can die a thousand painful deaths at the hands of many!"

The Man in Black made clicking noises with his tongue.

"Such undeserved aggression!" He said. "And what have I ever done to you?"

"You," she spat, seething with rage. "Killed my beloved. My everything."

"It's possible," he said. "I've killed a lot of people. Who was this love of yours?"

Sabine did not want to say. But she forced herself to.

"Eyes a perfect blue. He had perfect hair. And you killed him! His ship was attacked, and the Dread Pirate Hondo never lets captors live!"

"I can't afford to make exceptions. Once people live, they start telling tales, saying I'm not as tough as I say, and then it's just work, work, work!"

"You are a foul monster! You killed Ezra Bridger.

He steadied himself, and began to walk around her.

"I think I remember this love of yours. He died, honourably. No bribe attempts, or blubbery. Just said 'please.' It was the please that caught my memory. I asked him what was so important. 'True love.' He replied. And he spoke of a woman of outstanding beauty, and unwavering loyalty."

"And he died at your hands! And you can die too for all I care."

She pushed him. Surprised by the move, wrong-footed by the attack, the Man in Black went tumbling, head over heels, into the gorge. His words echoed strangely in the space, and stuck in Sabine's ears.

"Aaaaassss yooooou wiiiiiiiiiisssshhh…"

Sabine gasped.

"Oh my sweet Ezra, what have I done?"

Leaping up, she ran off down the grassy slope after the Man in Black.

When Sabine reached the bottom of the hill, the man was lying in a heap a little away from her. His mask had been snagged by a tree branch. And as she scrambled over to him, he raised his head, and stared at her with a face she had hoped, but given up hope of, seeing again.

And Ezra spoke.

"I was wondering when you'd figure it out."

And Sabine rushed towards him, and flung her arms around him. And the next thing he knew, she was kissing him, in the flowery meadow, under the bright, cloudless Naboo sky.

The loud swroom of repulsorlifts broke the two apart, and Ezra looked up, and saw the Imperials. They had reached the stone table. Ezra helped Sabine up.

"Come on," he said. "We must get out of here."

Prince Valador sniffed the tube of powder.

"Extarionide," the man said to his companion. "I'll bet my life on it."

He took one look at the lifeless body of the recently identified Moralo Eval, and jumped back on his hoverscooter.

"The princess is alive. Or was, an hour ago. If she is otherwise when I find her," he muttered dangerously, "I will be very put out."

And then, the prince and the ISB agent, followed by the four troopers, sped off, in the same direction Ezra and Sabine had went an hour before.


	7. Authors note

**Hi guys.**

 **So, now that I have finished the Three Tasks, I shall be putting the story on temporary hiatus to work on another story of mine.**

 **Once I finish the other story, I shall go back and finish this one, but for now, I am afraid I shall just have to postpone the story until further notice, as I feel a temporary break from this story is necessary to several of us, most of all myself.**

 **My next story, Deaths Door,will be released shortly, and I urge anyone who likes this story to check that one out too!**

 **(And also,let it be said that I am VERY impressed by the amount of people who have commented and said that, in one way or another, that they have read/seen the book/movie. (And in answer to our question, Guest, the reason Bossk and Inigo are in this story instead of Kanan and Zeb, is, well, who wants them on the bad guys team?)**

 **Thank you,**

 **Starnova1122.**


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